Cross-Chain Forwarding Goes Live On CCTP Mainnet To Automate USDC Transfers And Simplify Multichain Operations

In Brief

Circle has launched its Crosschain Forwarding feature on CCTP mainnet, automating USDC transfers across multiple blockchains and simplifying cross-chain operations for developers and users.

Financial technology company Circle announced that its Crosschain Forwarding feature is now live on mainnet Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) mainnet. The fully managed service automates execution on the destination blockchain for CCTP transactions, streamlining the process of transferring USDC across multiple networks.

CCTP is a permissionless, on-chain utility that enables native USDC transfers between blockchains. The protocol operates by burning USDC on the source blockchain and minting an equivalent amount on the destination blockchain, allowing secure 1:1 transfers without relying on traditional bridge liquidity pools or wrapped tokens.

The Circle Forwarding Service simplifies the use of CCTP by removing the need for developers to manage multichain infrastructure, improving the reliability of cross-chain transfers and eliminating the requirement to cover destination chain gas fees. The service is intended to enhance user experience, reduce end-to-end transfer times, lower operational costs, minimize third-party risks, and streamline workflows for both developers and end users.

The service currently supports CCTP routes to multiple blockchains, including Arbitrum, Avalanche, Base, Ethereum, HyperEVM from the Hyperliquid decentralized exchange, Ink, Linea, Monad, Optimism, Polygon, Sei, Sonic, Unichain, and World, with plans to expand to additional networks in the future

In an announcement, Circle also indicated that the forwarding service will be extended in the coming months to its Circle Gateway, Bridge Kit, and other generalized forwarding capabilities, offering greater flexibility for cross-chain operations.

Forwarding Feature Automates CCTP Transactions, Simplifying Cross-Chain USDC Transfers

Executing a CCTP transaction without using the Forwarding Service involves a multi-step process. First, a transaction must be created to burn USDC on the source blockchain, after which Circle must sign an attestation confirming the burn. Next, the attestation is requested through the Circle API. Finally, a separate transaction is created to mint the corresponding USDC on the destination blockchain. This workflow requires a wallet capable of signing transactions on both the source and destination chains, as well as holding the native tokens necessary to pay transaction fees on each chain.

The Forwarding Service streamlines this process by allowing users to include a forward request in the hook data of the burn transaction on the source chain. Circle then verifies the hook data, signs the attestation, and executes the mint transaction on the destination chain on behalf of the user. This eliminates the need for the user to manually manage the destination chain transaction, simplifying cross-chain operations and reducing the technical burden associated with CCTP transfers.